Lithuanian Radio and Television

DAPKUS Aidas, Reserve sergeant, security unit, Vilnius

I was at the Radio and TV building post that day. Around midnight I heard a noise - a column of tanks was storming towards the TV tower. You could hear shots, and in half an hour tanks appeared by our building. Nearby you could hear firing, series of gun shots, and shattering windows. I went up the stairs a little to see what was going on. Suddenly I was blinded by a searchlight. Soldiers threw me against a wall, searched me for a gun, and pushed me into the corridor and ordered me to lie down with my hands on my head. Other men from our unit were already lying there. They began to search us again. They searched us several times. Some would search us and go away. Then others would come, pick us up, search us, shout at us, and when they didn't find any weapons, they would shove us around and order us to lie down again. When they came to the building for maybe the fifth time and found the cover of my military card, they began to make fun of the „Vytis" emblem on it. I asked them what they didn't like. I was immediately hit in the face with the butt of a gun. My nose was broken and began to bleed badly. A soldier standing next to me started to mock me: „What did you do with him - he's our colleague!"